Top 5 Orchestral Bassists

BrianMcAnally · #1 12-28-2008, 10:24 PM

Hello all, I would just like to know who you think the top 5 (or more) orchestral bassists in the world are right now. Please feel free to list them and explain/give detail about them. I am intrested in what your opinions are.

bassbuz · #2 12-29-2008, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianMcAnally

Hello all, I would just like to know who you think the top 5 (or more) orchestral bassists in the world are right now. Please feel free to list them and explain/give detail about them. I am intrested in what your opinions are.

this has troll-bait written all over it..

buz

BrianMcAnally · #3 12-29-2008, 08:58 PM

What do you mean?

Eli_Upright12 · #4 12-29-2008, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianMcAnally

What do you mean?

He means its an extremely subjective, broad and provocative question that might seems meant to rile up everyone. These kinds of questions (and the following debates) usually dont lead anywhere and cause trouble.

There was an article that came out recently in the NY times or something that had the top 20 world orchestras and I think that the US list was 1. Chicago 2. LA 3. Cleveland 4. Boston 5. The Met
So the principles of those orchestras are obviously good.
In the end you might be better off just asking what bassist people think are really doing great orchestral work, rather than ranking them which inevitably will end in a big bloody battle royal.

bassbuz · #5 12-29-2008, 09:57 PM

He means its an extremely subjective, broad and provocative question that might seems meant to rile up everyone. These kinds of questions (and the following debates) usually dont lead anywhere and cause trouble.

exactly. unfortunately, you proceed to quote a survey that does exactly that. WORLD orchestras?
you can't measure empirically how good or bad an orchestra or player is. That's why auditions require large panels and are often rife with scandal.
buz

BrianMcAnally · #6 12-29-2008, 10:10 PM

Oh okay, yeah, I know what you mean.

Yeah, this was a bad idea. Sorry guys...

Eli_Upright12 · #7 12-29-2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbuz

exactly. unfortunately, you proceed to quote a survey that does exactly that. WORLD orchestras?
you can't measure empirically how good or bad an orchestra or player is. That's why auditions require large panels and are often rife with scandal.
buz

I was just offering a credible review. One opinion. My opinion might be different, but there is an upper echelon of orchestras and everyone on that level is a ridiculously good musician. Like I said it was just one opinion comprised of the insight of many experienced musical reviewers.

anonymous12251111 · #8 12-29-2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianMcAnally

Oh okay, yeah, I know what you mean.

Yeah, this was a bad idea. Sorry guys...

You could perhaps re-name the thread into "Most exciting orchestral bassists." I'd definitely like to know who people enjoy watching and listening to.

Eli_Upright12 · #9 12-29-2008, 10:17 PM

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=97291390
here's the NPR article about the Gramophone ranking. For anyone interested

Eli_Upright12 · #10 12-29-2008, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

You could perhaps re-name the thread into "Most exciting orchestral bassists." I'd definitely like to know who people enjoy watching and listening to.

Good Idea Calvin, I personally like Eugene Levinson, Tim Cobb, Ed Barker and Edicson Ruiz

LetterK · #11 12-29-2008, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

There was an article that came out recently in the NY times or something that had the top 20 world orchestras and I think that the US list was 1. Chicago 2. LA 3. Cleveland 4. Boston 5. The Met

Close, it was the Gramophone, not the Times, and the top ranked American orchestras were 1. Chicago, 2. Cleveland, 3. Los Angeles, 4. Boston, 5. New York.

LetterK · #12 12-29-2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

Good Idea Calvin, I personally like Eugene Levinson, Tim Cobb, Ed Barker and Edicson Ruiz

Why?

Eli_Upright12 · #13 12-29-2008, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LetterK

Why?

THey play with that really clean, but intense style. I guess for Edicson I'm going more on the solo stuff Ive seen of his, but I would expect that his orchestral playing is just as good. I guess the other thing is those guys are all principles, so there is an aspect of being a great player and a great leader.

Dr_Atomic · #14 12-29-2008, 11:24 PM

I don't think that anyone really knows enough people and their playing to answer this question.

Personally, I'd say that Ed Barker, Tim Cobb, Jeremy McCoy, Hal Robinson, and Ali Yazdanfar are pretty awesome.

This is kind of an impossible question though. I know one bass player in the Berlin Phil, Peter Riegelbauer, and he's unbelievable, so, for me, he's one of my favorite orchestra bass players...

LetterK · #15 12-30-2008, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr_Atomic

I don't think that anyone really knows enough people and their playing to answer this question.

Speak for yourself!

St-Teddy-Hall · #16 12-30-2008, 09:36 AM

Who else would one be speaking for??

The point is that this is a highly subjective question.

The only way to answer this would be to listen to EVERY bass player in the world and even then the conclusion would be subjective.

I don't know any American bass players from first-hand knowledge so my answer to this question would be skewed to European/English players.

Dr Rod · #17 12-30-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

I guess for Edicson I'm going more on the solo stuff Ive seen of his, but I would expect that his orchestral playing is just as good.

There is a spot in Bruckner's 7th symphony, I think it's in the first movement, it's extremely hard to play half way in tune, jumping all over the place and full of accidentals. Well, apparently Edicson was taking a look at this part before a rehearsal when Claudio Abbado walked by and could not believe his ears when listening to Edicson's rendition.

A year or two before he got in the BPO, he must have been 15 or so, he played the recit of Beethoven's 9th for the conductor and jury of the Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival in Germany (usually top European musicians) and they thought he had the maturity of a well seasoned Berlin orchestra bassist, talk about foresight !

anonymous12251111 · #18 12-30-2008, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Rod

There is a spot in Bruckner's 7th symphony, I think it's in the first movement, it's extremely hard to play half way in tune, jumping all over the place and full of accidentals. Well, apparently Edicson was taking a look at this part before a rehearsal when Claudio Abbado walked by and could not believe his ears when listening to Edicson's rendition.

A year or two before he got in the BPO, he must have been 15 or so, he played the recit of Beethoven's 9th for the conductor and jury of the Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival in Germany (usually top European musicians) and they thought he had the maturity of a well seasoned Berlin orchestra bassist, talk about foresight !

Rod, have you been to Edicson's website? His Solo Video's are INCREDIBLE. The way he plays defines "musician". He has complete control over the instrument, perfect intonation and an incredible sense of musicality. Honestly, when he plays Bottesini 1 it sounds like heaven.

St-Teddy-Hall · #19 12-30-2008, 01:29 PM

Amazing!

And I would agree with you that his solo videos are tremendous.

Dr Rod · #20 12-30-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

Rod, have you been to Edicson's website? His Solo Video's are INCREDIBLE. The way he plays defines "musician". He has complete control over the instrument, perfect intonation and an incredible sense of musicality. Honestly, when he plays Bottesini 1 it sounds like heaven.

Not yet Calvin, thanks for the tip.

I did hear the Bottesini 1 however, on youtube I think, and I agree with you completely. Before Edicson everyone used to say that Bottesini 1 was "ugly" or "hedious", not anymore!